Maybe Reid can finally get a bill passed though his Senate. At least then there would be something to negotiate.

Time for the President to have a sit down with the boys that matter. I did notice that Pelosi, Cantor, Ron Paul, Rand Paul, Bachman and all the other lunatics (from both sides) were not invited.

Time to get this done and move on to the next issue.

Pelossi should have gotten this done while the Dems had the filibuster proof majority. Same thing applies to DADT, the middle-class cut extensions and everything else that has waited until the last minute.

Well, at least this time they are getting it done. I think Boehner will pass a reasonable budget this time. If he doesn't, he'll have to give up more to get the Democrats on board and that would just drive the TP craz(ier).

"Carney said Obama will urge congressional leaders to reach a final agreement before the April 8 funding deadline in order to avoid a government shutdown."

________________________________________________

If THAT'S all Barry is going to do, he could save a bunch of time by cancelling the meeting and sending them a tweet.

Yes he is....... a real leader.

Ditherer-in-chief is more to the point.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Judge Joe:

.... he could save a bunch of time by cancelling the meeting and sending them a tweet.

For once I agree with you, Joe. They already know what they're supposed to do. And he could probably save a fair amount of money, too. You don't suppose that, in the spirit of austerity, they'll skip refreshments, do you?

I don't.

You don't suppose that, in the spirit of austerity, they'll skip refreshments, do you?

I don't.

_________________________________________

Unfortunately, that's exactly the kind of BS nonsense they (D and R) would do. It's easier than actually trying to solve the real problems.

Maybe the'll all sit down and have a few beers and a good cry.

In Maine today, a letter has been delivered by eight moderate GOP state senators to Tea Party Governor LePage. It starts:

As Republican senators, we all want Gov. LePage and his administration to succeed.

Yet we feel compelled to express our discomfort and dismay with the tone and spirit of some of the remarks he has made.

Were these isolated incidents, we would bite our collective tongues, because we are all human and make mistakes. But unfortunately, they are not isolated but frequent. Therefore, we feel we must speak out.

We ran for office as proud Republicans, inspired and energized by the campaign themes of the governor to make Maine a more business-friendly state and attract the capital investment we need to create jobs and ensure that our children and grandchildren will have the kind of opportunity and prosperity we all want for them.

We should be focused like a laser on the agenda the governor laid out -- reducing our tax burden, getting rid of unnecessary government regulation that stifles innovation and entrepreneurship, and putting into place thoughtful welfare reform.

Instead, we find ourselves continually diverted, responding to yet another example of our chief executive picking a personal fight not worth fighting. "Government by disrespect" should have no place in Augusta, and when it happens, we should all reject it.

People sent us here to work together -- to find common ground whenever we can. But there can, will and should be those occasions when our honestly held positions lead us to disagree and to vigorously debate the issues of the day.

It is how we manage that conflict that matters, and how you do something is often as important as what you do.

http://www.kjonline.com/opinion/columnists/tired-of-diversions-from-government-by-disrespect_2011-04-03.html#

I hate to interrupt this Obama hate-a-thon by the Tea Buggery cynics, but there will be a compromise to avoid the shutdown.

It wont be the 60 + billion let alone the artificial 100 Billion in mystery cuts the Tea Buggerers wanted. Its gonna be 30 + Billion.

Interesting dynamic for the GOP:

Take the 30 Billion, get the Dem votes and declare bi partisanship and get a victory (smart thing to do)

OR.....shut down the government, bow to the Tea Party and distract from debate over the 2012 budget where the REAL budget cuts will be. Problem is, that will make the GOP establishment weaker and the Tea Party look like the obstructionists while the Dems look like the reasonable party.

Get the 30 Billion in chump change and lets get on to the real Budget debate.

I hate to interrupt this Obama hate-a-thon by the Tea Buggery cynics,

FYI -- I'm the cynical liberal in the crowd.

Tim: I hope you are right. Darn, theres that hope thing the RNC has already outlawed.

Okay, I really want you to be correct. I don't think a government shut down would be good for the nation or either party.

Steve-505729 "Is Obama finally gonna tell us what it is he wants to Cut. OR just tell us we need to cut"

That would be a "Change we can believe in", but don't hold your breath. It's just not part of his nature to actually take a stand on an issue. He's probably saying "Where's Nancy Pelosi when I need her to take the lead?", or he's trying to figure out how he can vote "Present".

I'm certain the Debt Ceiling will come up during the meeting at the White House. President Obama can lecture the Congressional leaders on his fiscal policies he laid out back in 2006 when he was a Senator. I'm sure the President will reiterate to the Congressional leaders the following words he recited at the time:

“The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. Leadership means that ‘the buck stops here.’ Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership . Americans deserve better. I therefore intend to oppose the effort to increase America's debt limit.”

Source: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2011/01/gibbs-senator-obama-only-voted-against-raising-debt-ceiling-in-2006-because-he-knew-it-would-pass-an.html

It will be a sobering moment for Congress to know that their President is serious about getting control of the economic debt problem in the country.

Spanky-

What budget?

The budget Pelosi failed to pass for this year, or the one they need for next year?

You think Obama thinks Pelosi's "no budget for '11" was a good move?

You'd also think the weak kneed blue dogs and obstinate Republican would not have been so afraid of their corporate master too.

Bev. honey, it's time to start discussing the issues. It's grown up time - the debt and deficit are what will be driving the day from here on in. You may not understand but thisis potentially the end. And what do we get out of you and yours? CUts are going to hurt, are draconian, will hurt the poor. And while that is all true, what alternatives are there? Or do you actually believe we can continue on as if there is no problem?

Your pithy comment about Blue Dogs, and corporate masters is just dumb. Look, I get you are way, way, way out of you element on this one. This isn't about having a black president. It's not about weeping, ideology, or even politics. This is the black soul eating monster that sucks everything away. Just consider a yearly debt service cost of $1.0 Trillion. You think that would be bad, hurt the poor and children? That wipe out just about everything.

We are in for $14 Trillion, and running up $1.5 Trillion each year. Yesterday and the day before, and the day before we added another $5 billion. $.40 of every dollar spent is loaned.

You can yell and scream Kock brothers, and cite to Media Matters and Move On all you want. This is real, hard math. And it's getting worse every day.

Ok now?

Great, now tell us why, holding the House, Senate and Presidentcy the Dems failed to pass a budget. Tell us how we get back to a place where we are at least even on spending - not having to borrow half of every dollar spent. And do please tell us you ideas/plan as to how we can ever even try to repay the current debt, excluding any and all future deficits.

Spanky: Great, now tell us why, holding the House, Senate and Presidentcy the Dems failed to pass a budget.

The Democrats knew passing their debt-busting budget would kill any re-election chances they would have had in 2010, so they didn't pass one. How'd that work out for them?

Now come on JAS1 - I know you can answer. It's time to start pounding Bev. and her brethren with the truth.

Bev. hurry up the day is quickly passing and you know what that means, $5billion more added to the debt.

Math can be very hurtful. Or to put it another way - there is no Hope, given the current calculations. And how many more days until we find out the bad news - what amount did Obama add in the month of March?

Ok JAS1 will it be closer to $223 billion or $300 billion?

Spanky,

Asking Bev to provide something she can't is an Exercise in Futility, she narly has a rational Thought of her own. If it can't be Copied and Pasted or some Snarky Remark Accusing someone of Being Racist because they dont like the Black man in the White House . She wont post anything..

Howerver the Day is winding down. and again the Liberals on these Pages ahve Taken a Thourgh Beating with all the News that is coming Out. I do expect the HOSTS here at MSNBC to Throw them an EASY bone to Finish off the Day. I expect it any Second now..

@Spanky and Steve: paying down the debt (eliminating the deficit) can be done, so long as both sides of the budget equation are on the table.

When the TeaPublican Party has taken revenue increases out of the equation, we will NEVER be able to balance the budget, let alone pay down the debt.

Spanky: Ok JAS1 will it be closer to $223 billion or $300 billion?

It probably will exceed $300 billion for the month. Just one day brought $72 billion in deficit spending in March.

The Liberals like Durbin and Reid are talking about having an "Adult conversation regarding raising the debt ceiling". Sure, it's "adult" to raise the credit limit of the chronic and habitual credit card abuser.

This country in general, and Liberals in particular, are in need of an intervention.

Which drp101 - paying down the debt or stopping the deficit spending?

And by Tea PArty taking revenue off the table, you are of course refering to Obama, as it was he who signed into law the tax cuts for the wealthiest 2%, right?

Or are you saying the dems will raise taxes across the board. Because you can't do it with just jacking the rich.

That's why Obama is a Leader

Yea, like handing it off to Biden who promptly flew off to Europe. Taking the wife, kids and Grandma to South America for a little vacation, ......

I guess the NCAAs end tonight - time to go back work tommorrow morning.

Way to be on top of things Mr. President.

Maybe Obama could get involved sooner than 3 days before the deadline next time ,,,,, kinda like a competent leader would do?

That's why Obama is a Leader

By the way, who's running the Libya operation today? Obama has every other Tuesday, correct?

Today is April 4th 2011. Leadership would have been to get a FY2011 budget passed before 1 OCT 2010 when the FY started. Tooting the leadership horn now when they used the budget for the 2010 election instead of the Business of America is at best shallow. This is a Obama Pelosi Reid caused problem no way to avoid that argument. They had the numbers to pass a budget but choose not to for supposed political gain. Putting re election before the good of the Republic should get you fired regardless of party.

You got my vote on that, Marcos.

Too bad they are all, by definition, politicians.

bob-1805084

I thought it's the duty of the Republican/ Teabagger led congress to come up with the spending bill?

Oh, Weeper Johnny boy is no more the Leader of the congress I guess? or is he under the spell of rep Bachmann led Teabagger coalitions.

you see what I mean........when you can't put your house together, Obama is a Leader bringing republicants together. A good Leader for that matter.

The House passed a spending bill cutting $61 billion 6 weeks ago.

Sheez..... even Bev probably knows that.

Ever thought about maybe going over to Yahoo, Pius? ("Hey I'm just saying ....")

The House passed a spending bill cutting $61 billion 6 weeks ago.

And how long will that cover? Sounds a little lame to me.

Obama has every other Tuesday, correct?

Yes. I'm running it today. I get Mondays where the date ends in the number 4, which is appropriate for an armchair quarterback like me.

Both sides should be holding hands and singing "Kumbaya" right about now.

Sounds a little lame to me.

Uh ... yea.

So doesn't that make the Dem at least twice as lame since it half as much?

bob: The House passed a spending bill cutting $61 billion 6 weeks ago.

AM: And how long will that cover? Sounds a little lame to me.

Through the end of the 2011 fiscal year.

Do you know anything? Anything at all?

So doesn't that make the Dem at least twice as lame since it half as much?

Yep.

Do you know anything? Anything at all?

Nope. But now that you explain it, and it sinks slowly into my little liberal brain, it sounds even lamer. How is that possibly enough? And don't reply by asking me about the democrats. They're both lame.

And now back to managing the war in Libya to successful conclusion. The "Mission Accomplished" banner is being raised right now. Gotta go make a speech.

By the way, who's running the Libya operation today? Obama has every other Tuesday, correct?

NATO has control. Any Questions? Or are you demogoging phantoms again?

I find it hilarious that all the Neo-Cons who wanted for years to 'democratize' the middle east suddenly want to be armchair critics of their own ambitions. Face it, Obama is better at it them W or his daddy. Obama might actually get a couple of victories (militarily and politically) that the GOP admin couldnt get done.

I question your patriotism, JoAnna

Why do you want America to fail?

Uh, yea about that "democratization" thing.

Particularly after Friday's murders in Afghanistan over the Koran burning, I'd say democratization is flat impossible.

But ok Time let's look a little deeper - how exactly is Obama better at this than Bush or his daddy? What do you suppose a victory would look like? Was it starting it without approval? Was it the coalition he put together? What?

And when you say the GOP, who are you talking about? Did not Iraq and Afghanistan get full bipartisan support Tim?

I question your logic Tim.

But go ahead and tell us the wisdom of starting another war when $.40 of every dollar spent is barrowed. Tim, why do you seek to incur more debt? Or is Nato footing the bill for this little shindig?

Tim, how much money will Obama get back from Nato on this?

Tim Seattle:Why do you want America to fail?

Quite the "leader", that Obama. He starts the Libya dust up, but quickly runs away. He makes a bunch of empty, and empty-headed proclamations like "Gaddafi must go" and "The noose is tightening", only to run away when the going gets rough and he leaves the dirty work to others. The man is a coward.

Somehow many thought America stood for something more. But not to Obama. Obama is coward.

And you, JoAnna, are a petty whiner. Get over it. Obama's your DUELY elected president. Mine, too. And- he's going to be again in 2012, so you might as well get over it. Plain and simple.

Well look who got that crystal ball working.

So who's going to win tonight, and what are the lotto numbers this week?

Oh and by the way DBO - Spring break Havasu. I highly recommend it. And good news -it runs for 6 weeks - lot of colleges with different break schedules, god bless them.

Well Spanky, we can't begin to pay down the debt until we eliminate the deficit spending. If your income isn't going up, you can't pay off the credit card unitl you stop using it.

My point is that the irrational part of the Tea Party is saying that there can be no tax increases, even though tax rates (at the federal level) are lower than they have been in over 50 years.

Reducing capital gains rates below ordinary income rates HAS contributed to speculation. The average "middle class" person does not have capital gains very often.

The tax code has become a playground for the wealthy to eliminate taxes for themselves.

Joanna: I don't appreciate anyone calling the President of the United States a coward. I don't care if his name is Gearge H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush or Barack Obama. He is the President of the United States and is NOT a coward!!!

Who pays the taxes in this country? Progressive--you might want to do some research. The Top 5% of wage earners in this country pay 85% of the income tax revenue taken in by the federal government. While almost 50% of the country pays "NO" income taxes at all. Leaving the real middle class paying 15% of the federal revenue coming from income taxes.

So get off your blame game theory. It comes down to we spend too much, we have too many entitlement programs, and we have too much wasteful spending in our military. We need to fix the tax codes, get rid of deductions, and we could bring in more federal dollars through income taxes at 17% than we do today. That would actually even lower taxes for most Americans, and the federal government would still bring in more dollars.

But you seem like most blamers on this website. Don't have a plan--blame someone!.

The only thing that you are entitled to is "life, liberty, and the "PURSUIT" of happiness, not the guarantee of happiness.

Fuzzy tea bagger math.

BigBear62 -- everyone has been saying that all the wealth of the country is with the top 2% of wage earners and your statistics only prove that. Some people earn a lot of money and 50% of the population earns so little that they don't have to pay taxes. If income were distributed more equitably, a larger portion of the population would have money to pay taxes on.

I would be in favor of a flat tax on revenue, across the board, for ALL individuals and corporations. If we did it on all revenue we could probably just have a rate of less than 10%.

Tax on the day traders activities alone would probably eliminate the deficit. Heck, might even pay off the debt.

In short, nothing will come of it. They had might as well saved the time and money.

Kate,

And therein lies the problem. You believe instead of working hard and making something of yourself, money should just be redistributed. The Soviet Union tried that and it failed. Our country was founded on the principal of self preservation and self motivation. If your motivation is taking from someone else who has done the work--then you should be a good thief.

Opportunities are there for everyone to take. It is not my fault that people refuse to get an education, that people decide to not follow their dreams. It is people like you that expect others to take care of you that is bringing down this country. "I don't have enough, so they need to redistribute it".

Job1--As far as income taxes go, those were the numbers in 2010 through Wikipedia--it would not allow me to post the link. That isn't fuzzy math--unless you call the IRS fuzzy math. But the truth hurts those liberal causes.

Big Bear if you look at the Soviet Union, then you would see that the redistribution of wealth was from the bottom up. The soviet leaders had all of the money and power. The workers were unmotivated because there was little reward for their efforts. There were bread lines and rations. Food and shelter was allocated based on your status in the communist party and not based on what you produced. The whole system was a form of share cropping.

So Salt - are you saying that sometimes those charged with doing the distributing do do such a fair job?

Huh, who would have thought that was a possibility.

Or are you saying the distribution should be done by those on the bottom? Cause after all they surely would do a good and competent job?

Perhaps we ought to stick with what we got - you earn it, you get to keep it. You don't earn it, cause smoking pot and chasing tail was more important to you when you were in high school, not college, then you fail.

Life's a choice. Choose wisely.

You earn it, you keep it.

I like it. Simple and easy to figure out your tax form.

When your house is on fire, you put it out. When one of those tail-chasing pot smokers rolls you in a alley, call a truce. So simple, yet so......well, SIMPLE!

What's not to like?

Straight up DBO.

Plus that's why we ALWAYS insure everything for at least 150% of it's value. House burns down, we re-build it bigger and better. And dude, getting rolled in an alley? "We" are prepared for that and many other contingencies. You must be one trusting mofo. Always Be Prepared.

Now if we could just get the damn fire department to stop wasting assets by sending a paramedic van and a engine. Wasteful and stupid.

Dude you are by far the worst whack a mole player in history. But best set up man in the business.

Spanky: you must be one of those top 2% who don't need the government. Don't need no fire department, police, teachers, etc. Got your own private everything.

How'd that work for you on 9-11-2001, did you stop the bad guys from knocking down your buildings with your private security company ?

Good. Because maybe they could use the pot to pay for breakfast at the White House for the President to tell Congress to do what it already knows it needs to do -- i.e., cut spending for unnecessary breakfasts and stuff.

And that's how Washington works.

Laurie,

Those with college degrees aren't the problem. The unemployment rate for those with higher than high school diplomas is 5% or less. It is those that don't understand the value of an education that have high unemployment numbers. I am just hoping that those in the drive thru lane can get the order in the sack correctly, without me having to go back in to find the only one with a high school diploma to complain to. (manager)

American,

Along with you I will be happy that 50,000 more people will be hired. Although I would wager we both would be happy with 50,000 new manufacturing vs. service jobs. Be that as it may, more people will be working at an honest job.

Your post goes abit against the typical GOP narrative about additional tax revenues from the new employees ie. only the richest 5% pay 60%-85% (insert number) of taxes. The GOP mantra that the living poor, who I would bet this service sector individual would be, don't pay taxes and contribute to the economy is false.

I'm glad that you understand that these new employees will contribute to the economy by buying products, foods and additional services while paying taxes.

Point taken on the vouchers. I think if HCR included a viable public option to battle against rising costs and keep HC providers honest, the mandate wouldn't have been necessary and big corporations wouldn't have weaseled their way out of providing health care for their employees.

Yellow,

I will be happy to see 50K more people working, I am just hoping they can get my order correct. All jobs help the economy, because it all trickles to somewhere. But you know as well as I, that many manufacturing jobs aren't coming back. Although the shipping of jobs overseas is part of the problem, especially with those wages being so cheap, another reason is automation of industries. What use to take 100 people to build a car, now takes 10.

But then again, why do people get into business--to make money--not overpay workers for a manual labor job. Not that all workers are overpaid, but there are some fat cats out there.

BB62: I will be happy to see 50K more people working,

Didn't McDonalds get a waiver for not having to implement ObamaCare? It's probably not a coincidence they're hiring because of it.

Yeah. It couldn' thave anything to do with increased demand for their product.

Many factors could be seen as a reason.

1. The story points to more people needed for the increased 24 hour stores.

2. The economy is turning around a bit, so more people are dining out, if only at McDonalds.

The difficulty of finding good paying jobs, leads McDonalds to believe that they as well as their big business partners like Walmart can offer jobs with no benefits.

Big Bear - Traditional manufacturing has surely diminished but in the last few cycles there have been modest gains there. There are differing ideas on how to revive it. Perhaps we need to look outside of the box, start manufacturing 'green products'. Despite their unprofitability now, like every business or endeavor it will take a few years to run in the black, these green products could be the thing of the future.

If I knew what these magical 'green products' were I would be making some money.

yellowdog - how's the family? mine is doing fairly well, thank you.

Hope my attitudes aren't confusing you. Many here on FR think that conservatives are incapable of independent thought or believe in having a lock step view (L or R) in ideology. Never have been that way, obstinate at times, but usually willing to listen to reasonably coached arguments. Much the same way you have shown yourself to be when we converse. If we always agreed where would the learning in life be?

As an aside to your post 11.1 Taxes are taxes, but I am not happy with the earned income tax credit or some deductions allowed for the wealthy.

My comment...

More tax revenues will be expected, perhaps no cuts will be required at all oh happy days for the democrats and sad days for republicans.

was half in jest concerning happy or sad days for the politicians. No way do I believe that the new taxes collected in this case will greatly diminish our need to develope a sustainable economy and economic policies.

Who cares. Let's move on.

Corporate greed and a dishonest, un-patriotic and integrity barren government is what destroyed the American dream, you don't need a degree to be a crook chief.

No, it is because people don't strive to be better, they just want to whine that everyone else is getting the breaks.

It just so happens now there is a bigger penalty for their apathy.

I am a tax payer also and I loath the Tea Party and pretty much everything it stands for except controlling spending. But controlling spending on the industrialized war machine and increasing revenue on the wealthy. Also ending the trade deficit with China and increasing tariffs on imports. Taxing large businesses, like Walmart, who refuse to pay living wages to their employees .Let them move if they want to live elsewhere. I hear Libya will have lots of real estate available soon.

Keep saying that to yourself. Also, shout "shut it down " a little louder. That'll help you win the next election, for dog catcher, maybe.

Keep cutting taxes to the wealthy people and to corporations (who your SC made people too) and then cut spending on the poor and middle class. That really tells people you're not into class warfare.

Leona, yours is the Tax Evaders Party. You disreagard the fact Americans pay lower taxes now then they did under Ronald Reagan. Americans have a sweet deal: a gigantic army to protect us, emergency services at our command, public schools for all, and better public schools in the wealthier communities, and you want to pay as little as possible for this, while maintaining your edenic existence. Please don't call yourselves patriots. You are closer to little Marie Antoinettes.

There has been a war between the wealthy and the poor in this country for a decade, only problem is the wealthy have been the only ones fighting.

"only the poor pay taxes"

Leona Helmsle

Ah w bush - a decade? Really, or are you just like 12 years old?

So Amy, it's tax time. You didn't happen to claim any deductions this year, did you? Did you take any of those exemptions? Why I bet you did, right?

Say Amy you think the "middle class" pays more or less now than say 25 -30 years ago?

And finally my little Amy, have you ever actually read any portion of the IRC (Internal Revenue Code)? Cause see if you had, and I know you have not, you'd know that it is specifically designed to minimize tax liability. K? You got that little nugget?

Come on Amy, I don't mean to brain pork you with a truth hog, but that is a fact. So should you choose not to take advantage of that, yu'd be stupid. But hey Obama needs your $ so you should man up and pay extra. You know to help the poor and down-trodden.

Oh and don't pay me no mind, I'm a little grumpy. You see my little precious Amy It's April. I get to not only pay my '10 taxes, but this here is the end of the first quarter for '11 so I get the added bonus of making my first estimated tax payment. That's what we in the business call the double whammy of tax paying joy.

Now run along and stop bashing the Tea Party - they have already won, or haven't you gotten the memo? Debts and deficits from here on in.

Big bear , you nailed it...most lefties want something for nothing.

The class warfare against the so-called rich is just the cover story; liberals just want to fatten the parasitic public sector with the lawfully earned money of the private sector. Whether you are rich or not, if you are self reliant and earn your own keep, the libs want to steal it.

Big Bear, not sure if you are correct or not, but if you are, did you also realize that the top 400 wage earners in this country make more money than the rest of the entire country combined. So you can see why they pay the most taxes. I think the big question is, all of the loopholes, subsidies to farms and big oil just to name a few. The bottom line is we will not balance the budget with just cuts that affect the poor and middle class such as pell grants for middle class kids to get an education.

Bob, not sure why you believe what youbelieve, but most liberals don't need handouts for themselves, they do support programs that assist people of lesser means for Education, health care, and other such programs.

RM: now you've gone and brought up rational thinking again. If you aren't talking about cuts, both spending and tax, Big Bear, Bob and the other TP's don't want to hear it.

And those making the most money should pay higher taxes. The system needs to be overhauled. Allowing deductions and claims, allows Warren Buffet to announce on TV that he doesn't pay as much in taxes as his administrative assistant does.

Everyone needs to pay their fair share of income taxes if we are to keep paying them. I personally would like to repeal the 16th amendment, but know that will never happen. But using the 2009 income tax numbers by the IRS, the federal government would have brought in more income tax dollars by everyone using 17% as their tax rate than they did. I calculated those numbers using the number of tax payers at the lowest earning in each tax bracket for 2009. In all, the federal government would have brought in over $15 billion more. And that was using the lowest dollar amount for the highest tax bracket. So the revenue would be even higher.

But too many of our politicians don't want that. They have favors to pay back, doesn't matter what side of the aisle you stand on.

Big Bear, you are absolutely correct, the tax system needs to be overhauled, but with the amount of money lobbyist pay to keep tax rates low that will never happen, just like all those subsidies I mentioned earlier. So you see it's not just the Libbie's and democrats who are causing the budget problem it's the republicans and conservatives who refuse to even discuss cutting programs that they favor.

Wrong Big Bear. The rich do not pay that much AS A PERCENTAGE OF THEIR INCOME!!

RM,

I am neither republican or democrat--I am an American. I think many programs should be cut. I think that many programs need to be reformed.

Take the gas tax for example. I wouldn't have a problem raising it to .20 cents. But instead of the money going to a general fund, it has to be sent to specific areas. Kinda of like they promise with Lotto money. Take 15 cents per gallon of gas--send it back to the state where it was bought in. Take 5 cents per gallon--invest in infrastructure of our interstate highway system--building an electric monorail system above the interstates. (my pet project). Make sure that the 15 cents going to the states is spent on infrastructure for transportation.

Greed will get the best of us. I am greedy, I want to keep as much of my earned money as I possibly can.

So how about you fellas define "fair share" for me, cause I don't think it means what you think it means.

Psst Greg you do realize the democrats have had a "hand" in writing the IRC, right?

I love the thought that Obama is an adult and could even reinforce mathematical accuracy. Any numbers I ever use in a blog comes from the BLS, IRS, or Wikipedia. I refuse to use numbers from a politician, a journalist (if there is such a thing), or a documentary.

I use those numbers because the government wouldn't lie:)!!!!!

But tell me Mad--How can a President tell us that he is for deficit reduction, yet send out a budget that is over $1.6 trillion over what he is taking in? Talk about fuzzy math--oops, sorry, that is borrow now, pay later.